WASHINGTON - The Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, Canada., will receive the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) second annual International Leadership Award for his strong commitment to the development and growth of the biotechnology industry in Ontario, Canada.

The award honours individuals who have shown a strong commitment to advancing biotechnology through policy mechanisms that facilitate and strengthen a country or region’s innovation frameworks. The award will be presented to the Honourable Dalton McGuinty at the 2009 BIO International Convention.

“Premier McGuinty was chosen for this award based on his exemplary record of promoting the biotechnology industry and innovation in the life sciences in Ontario,” said James C. Greenwood, president and CEO, BIO. “I strongly believe that our industry will continue to thrive in Ontario under his leadership.”

“I want to thank the Biotechnology Industry Organization for this great honour,” said Premier McGuinty. “Every day, researchers in Ontario are building on our strong reputation for leadership in the life sciences. It's their hard work that's led to discoveries with the power to transform lives and our economy. Our government will continue to fund their efforts so Ontario is the home of the next generation of breakthroughs, the next generation of businesses and the next generation of jobs."

"Premier McGuinty has shown strong leadership and a commitment to innovation and biotechnology," said Peter Brenders, President and CEO of BIOTECanada, Canada's national association representing the biotechnology sector. "BIOTECanada has seen clear support for the commercialization of biotechnology and life sciences innovations in the past year and we believe work Premier McGuinty has begun is escalating Ontario into a global biotechnology hub."

Under McGuinty’s leadership, Ontario has pledged over $3.2-billion dollars to support research and innovation through Ontario’s Innovation Agenda; the creation of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research; programs such as Ontario’s Biopharmaceutical Investment Program; clean fuel initiatives; and programs to support talent retention and R&D -- including a new $100-million competition for genomics and gene-related research: The Global Leadership Round in Genomics and Life Sciences.

In 2005, McGuinty first led a group of business and researcher representatives to the 2005 BIO International Convention in Philadelphia, signaling the start of great growth in Ontario’s biotech industry.

With 25 research and academic hospitals employing 10,000 scientists, clinical investigators and other researchers conducting $850 million in research annually, Ontario is the largest hub of biomedical activity in Canada and the third largest biomedical research centre in North America.

Ontario’s life sciences industry employs more than 43,000 people at more than 850 companies which generate more than $14 billion in annual revenues.

Each year, the BIO International Convention draws industry leaders from approximately 48 states and 60 countries. This year, the Convention program will feature 167 sessions in 22 breakout session tracks. Sessions will address the most pressing issues facing biotech today, including healthcare pricing and access, capital formation and partnering strategies in a tight credit environment, and climate change and biofuels.

In addition, this year’s BIO Exhibition will cover will cover an estimated 176,000 net sq. ft. and host more than 1,800 exhibitors.

To register for the BIO International Convention, please visit http://convention.bio.org/.

Advanced media registration will be available online through May 8, 2009. To register, please visit http://convention.bio.org/media.

The BIO International Convention helps to support BIO programs and initiatives. BIO works throughout the year to create a policy environment that enables the industry to continue to fulfill its vision of bettering the world through biotechnology innovation. For more information on the global event for biotechnology, including program and housing information, please visit http://convention.bio.org/.